CMCC women win close match against Vermont Tech, 2-1

Randolph, VT (CMCC) - The Lady Mustangs hit the road early Sunday morning for a trip to Randolph, VT to play a non-conference game against Vermont Technical College, their second meeting with the Knights this season.

Coming off an exhibition game against the UMaine Orono Club team on Friday night, Central Maine was excited to try a new formation in order to give the Knights a different look than what they showed in last week's victory.   

Adjusting to a less crowded midfield, it took Central Maine some time to get used to having the space to move the ball in the middle third of the field but the result was a much higher time of possession than in the previous game last weekend. At the 37-minute mark, Tabie Tlumac broke free on a pass from Cassi Smeltzer to give the Mustangs a 1-0 lead.

With two minutes to go in the half a collision between Mustang goalkeeper Ali Sult and one of her defenders after a Knight shot resulted in a loose ball that Vermont Tech took advantage of and the Marina Sprague goal leveled the score at 1-1 going into halftime.  

The second half saw more of the same, an evenly played game up and down the field with both teams trading shots. With thirteen minutes left in the game a Leya Harvey shot went off the Knight goalkeeper and freshman forward Cassi Smeltzer was in the perfect spot to drive it home for the game winner and her first collegiate goal.  

Mustang goalkeeper Ali Sult made two saves in the first half with Skyler Henry taking over for the injured Sult to make two more saves in the second half and pick up the win.

Central Maine outshot Vermont Tech 12 shots to 9. The Mustangs play at home on Wednesday September 18 in a conference matchup against Unity College at 6:30 pm on the new Mustang Turf Athletic Complex.